the most
convenient spot. He however was a bad architect; he dug out rocks of
the height of a house from the Alb, with his nails, and placed them one
upon another; but, as they always fell, he found his labour was in
vain. He then mounted on the top of the Beuren rock, and cried out in
the valley below for workmen; carpenters, masons, stone-cutters,
blacksmiths, any one who would come and help him should be well paid.
His voice was heard all over Swabia; from Kocher to the lake of
Constance; from the Necker to the Danube; the call brought masters and
workmen from all parts, who came to assist the giant build his
castle.----Keep in the shade here, out of the moonshine, sir," he
added, "your armour shines like silver, and could easily be seen by
some of those bloodhounds.

"Well, to go on with the giant's history; it was curious to see him
sitting in his cavern, in the sunshine, overlooking the progress of the
workmen in building his castle on the top of the rock; masters and
workmen worked merrily, and had their jokes with the giant, who
understood nothing of their art. At last the castle was finished, and
the giant took possession of it; when viewing the valley below from the
uppermost window, where the master and his men were assembled, he
angrily remarked, 'that one nail was wanting in the outside of the
building, and that they had deceived him in reporting it complete.' The
master blacksmith excused himself, and said: 'no one would venture to
perch himself outside the window, to drive the nail in.' The giant
would hear of no excuse; and refused to pay the reckoning until the
nail was in its place. They all returned again to the castle; the most
daring among them swore it was not a feat worth talking of to drive the
nail in; but when they came to look out of the window, and beheld the
great depth of the valley below, with its perpendicular rocks, they
shook their heads, and retired in shame. The master offered a ten-fold
reward to him who would venture on the perilous undertaking; but a long
time elapsed before one bold enough could be found. There was a smart
young fellow among the rest, who loved the master's daughter, and she
loved him; but as he was poor and the master a hard man, he could not
gain his consent to marry her. Taking courage, and thinking this a good
opportunity to be able either to merit his love or to die in the
attempt; for life without her was a burden to him: he went to his
master, her father,